CLFE2D: A generalized plane strain finite element program laminated composites subject to mechanical and hygrothermal loading

CLFE2D is a two dimensional generalized plane strain finite element code, using a linear, four node, general quadrilateral, isoparametric element. The program is developed to calculate the displacements, strains, stresses, and strain energy densities in a finite width composite laminate. CLFE2D offers any combination of the following load types: nodal displacements, nodal forces, uniform normal strain, or hygrothermal. The program allows the user to input one set of three dimensional orthotropic material properties. The user can then specify the angle of material principal orientation for each element in the mesh. Output includes displacements, stresses, strains and strain densities at points selected by the user. An option is also available to plot the underformed and deformed finite element meshes

Displacement effect in strong-field atomic ionization by an XUV pulse

We study strong-field atomic ionization driven by an XUV pulse with a non\-zero displacement, the quantity defined as the integral of the pulse vector potential taken over the pulse duration. We demonstrate that the use of such pulses may lead to an extreme sensitivity of the ionization process to subtle changes of the parameters of a driving XUV pulse, in particular, the ramp-on/off profile and the carrier envelope phase. We illustrate this sensitivity for atomic hydrogen and lithium driven by few-femto\-second XUV pulses with intensity in the $\rm 10^{14}~W/cm^2$ range. We argue that the observed effect is general and should modify strong-field ionization of any atom, provided the ionization rate is sufficiently high.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure

Fibre-optic delivery of time and frequency to VLBI station

The quality of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) radio observations predominantly relies on precise and ultra-stable time and frequency (T&F) standards, usually hydrogen masers (HM), maintained locally at each VLBI station. Here, we present an operational solution in which the VLBI observations are routinely carried out without use of a local HM, but using remote synchronization via a stabilized, long-distance fibre-optic link. The T&F reference signals, traceable to international atomic timescale (TAI), are delivered to the VLBI station from a dedicated timekeeping laboratory. Moreover, we describe a proof-of-concept experiment where the VLBI station is synchronized to a remote strontium optical lattice clock during the observation.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, matches the version published in A&A, section Astronomical instrumentatio

Comparing responsiveness of the EQ-5D-5L, EQ-5D-3L and EQ VAS in stroke patients

Aims: To date, evidence to support the construct validity of the EQ-5D-5L has primarily focused on cross-sectional data. The aims of this study were to examine the responsiveness of EQ-5D-5L in patients with stroke and to compare it with responsiveness of EQ-5D-3L and visual analogue scale (EQ VAS). Methods: We performed an observational longitudinal cohort study of patients with stroke. At 1 week and 4 months post-stroke, patients were assessed with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and Barthel Index (BI) and were administered the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L, including the EQ VAS. The EQ-5D-5L index scores were derived using the crosswalk methodology developed by the EuroQol Group. We classified patients according to two external criteria, based on mRS or BI, into 3 categories: ‘improvement,’ ‘stable’ or ‘deterioration’. We assessed the responsiveness of each measure in each patient subgroup using: effect size (ES), standardized response mean (SRM), F-statistic, relative efficiency and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: A total of 112 patients (52 % females; mean age 70.6 years; 93 % ischemic stroke) completed all the instruments at both occasions. In subjects with clinical improvement, EQ-5D-5L was consistently responsive, showing moderate ES (0.51–0.71) and moderate to large SRM (0.69–0.86). In general, EQ-5D-3L index appeared to be more responsive (ES 0.63–0.82; SRM 0.77–1.06) and EQ VAS less responsive (ES 0.51–0.65; SRM 0.59–0.69) than EQ-5D-5L index. Conclusions: The EQ-5D-5L index, based on the crosswalk value set, seems to be appropriately responsive in patients with stroke, 4 months after disease onset. As far as EQ-5D-5L index is scored according to crosswalk approach, the EQ-5D-3L index appears to be more responsive in stroke population

Tilings, tiling spaces and topology

To understand an aperiodic tiling (or a quasicrystal modeled on an aperiodic tiling), we construct a space of similar tilings, on which the group of translations acts naturally. This space is then an (abstract) dynamical system. Dynamical properties of the space (such as mixing, or the spectrum of the translation operator) are closely related to bulk properties of the individual tilings (such as the diffraction pattern). The topology of the space of tilings, particularly the Cech cohomology, gives information on how the original tiling can be deformed. Tiling spaces can be constructed as inverse limits of branched manifolds.Comment: 8 pages, including 2 figures, talk given at ICQ

Cytoplasmic PML promotes TGF-β-associated epithelial–mesenchymal transition and invasion in prostate cancer

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key event that is involved in the invasion and dissemination of cancer cells. Although typically considered as having tumour-suppressive properties, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signalling is altered during cancer and has been associated with the invasion of cancer cells and metastasis. In this study, we report a previously unknown role for the cytoplasmic promyelocytic leukaemia (cPML) tumour suppressor in TGF-β signalling-induced regulation of prostate cancer-associated EMT and invasion. We demonstrate that cPML promotes a mesenchymal phenotype and increases the invasiveness of prostate cancer cells. This event is associated with activation of TGF-β canonical signalling pathway through the induction of Sma and Mad related family 2 and 3 (SMAD2 and SMAD3) phosphorylation. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic localization of promyelocytic leukaemia (PML) is mediated by its nuclear export in a chromosomal maintenance 1 (CRM1)-dependent manner. This was clinically tested in prostate cancer tissue and shown that cytoplasmic PML and CRM1 co-expression correlates with reduced disease-specific survival. In summary, we provide evidence of dysfunctional TGF-β signalling occurring at an early stage in prostate cancer. We show that this disease pathway is mediated by cPML and CRM1 and results in a more aggressive cancer cell phenotype. We propose that the targeting of this pathway could be therapeutically exploited for clinical benefit

Spin waves in alloys at finite temperatures: application for FeCo magnonic crystal

We study theoretically the influence of the temperature and disorder on the spin wave spectrum of the magnonic crystal Fe$_{1-c}$Co$_{c}$. Our formalism is based on the analysis of a Heisenberg Hamiltonian by means of the wave vector and frequency dependent transverse magnetic susceptibility. The exchange integrals entering the model are obtained from the \emph{ab initio} magnetic force theorem. The coherent potential approximation is employed to treat the disorder and random phase approximation in order to account for the softening of the magnon spectrum at finite temperatures. The alloy turns out to exhibit many advantageous properties for spintronic applications. Apart from high Curie temperature, its magnonic bandgap remains stable at elevated temperatures and is largely unaffected by the disorder. We pay particular attention to the attenuation of magnons introduced by the alloying. The damping turns out to be a non-monotonic function of the impurity concentration due to the non-trivial evolution of the value of exchange integrals with the Co concentration. The disorder induced damping of magnons is estimated to be much smaller than their Landau damping.Comment: submitted to PR

Correlations, disorder, and multi-magnon processes in terahertz spin dynamics of magnetic nanostructures: A first-principles investigation

Understanding the profound impact of correlation effects and crystal imperfections is essential for an accurate description of solids. Here we study the role of correlation, disorder, and multi-magnon processes in THz magnons. Our findings reveal that a significant part of the electron self-energy, which goes beyond the adiabatic local spin density approximation, arises from the interaction between electrons and a virtual magnon gas. This interaction leads to a substantial modification of the exchange splitting and a renormalization of magnon energies, in agreement with the experimental data. We establish a quantitative hierarchy of magnon relaxation processes based on first principles

An extinction rule for a class of 1D quasicrystals

We study decorated one-dimensional quasicrystal obtained by a non-standard projection of a part of two-dimensional lattice. We focus on the impact of varying relative positions of decorated sites. First, we give general expression for the structure factor. Subsequently we analyze an example of extinction rule.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, LaTex2e, to appear in ICQ9 Proceeding (Philosophical Magazine